Valved container



July 6, 1954 M. R. METZGER vALvED CONTAINER Filed July 17, 1952IITJIIIII I Il Patented July 6, 1954 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEVALVED CONTAINER Melvin R. Metzger, Muscatine, Iowa Application July 17,1952, Serial No. 299,313

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers. More particularly theinvention relates to that type of container which is adapted to be lledwith fluid or granular material by way of a lling nozzle, is formedentirely of fluid impervious., heat scalable, rflexible plastic film,such, for example, as Plioiilm, cellophane, .Koroseal or polyethylene,comprises a body in the form of coextensive side by side front vand backmembers with the margins thereof connected together except at one pointor location in order to form a mouth, and also comprises an open ended,normally flat tube which is disposed in the interior of the body, hasone end thereof in heat ksealed relation with the mouth definingportions of the front and back members, is adapted toghave the llingnozzle extend lengthwise therethrough in connection with a containerfilling operation, and is further adapted after withdrawal of the nozzleat the conclusion of the lling operation to lbe so collapsed `by thepressure of the material in the body that it serves as a check valvewhereby egress of the material from the 4body is precluded until suchtime as the body is either ruptured or opened by re-insertion of thenozzle through the tube.

In practice it has been found that a container of the aforementionedtype is subject to certain objections. In the rst place it is necessaryto make the check valve variety tube of comparatively thick plastic lmin order to prevent it from being punctured when the 'filling nozzle isinserted through it in connection with -iilling of the container. If thetube is formed of ccmparatively thick plastic film it is comparativelystiff or semi-rigid and hence will not fully collapse and form acomplete or fully effective hermetic seal after removing of the llingnozzle from it. In the second place, if the material with which thecontainer is filled is viscous, like oil, or is sticky or adherent, likegranulated sugar, withdrawal of the lling nozzle after a container llingoperation sometimes results in a small portion of the material being"deposited `on the inner surface of the tube and hence precluding fullcollapsing of the tube by the pressure lof the material in the containerbody.

The primary or principal object of this invention is to provide acontainer which obviates or eliminates the heretofore mentionedobjections and is an improvement upon and has certain inherentadvantages over previously designed containers of the type underconsideration. Generally speaking the improved container ischaracterized by the fact that lit includes a supplemental tube which isdisposed within the main check valve variety tube, has one end thereofheat sealed to the outer end of the main tube and is materially shorterthan the main tube in order that its other end is spaced inwards of theinner end of the main tube. The supplemental tube is formed ofcomparatively thin plastic film and makes it possible to form the maintube of comparatively thin plastic material to the end that the twotubes will be highly iieXible and hence readily collapse and form aneffective hermetic seal after withdrawal of the nlling nozzle. It alsoforms with the main tube a double check valve arrangement and, so far asits inner end is concerned, forms a scraper whereby any .material whichtends to 'cling or adhere to the filling nozzle is removed from thedischarge end of the nozzle as the nozzle is withdrawn at the conclusionof ka container lling operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container which isgenerally Aof new and improved construction, eiectively and efficientlyfuliills its intended purpose and is capable of being fabricated orproduced at a `comparatively low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages andcharacteristics of the present container will be apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at theconclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specificationor disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a container embodying the inventionwith a filling nozzle inserted through the main and supplemental tubes;y

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the container illustrating in detailthe arrangement and design of the composite tube arrangement which formsa vdouble check valve for preventing egress of material from thecontainer body after a container filling operation;

Figure 3 an enlarged horizontal section taken on Ythe line 33 of yFigure1 and .showing in detail the manner in which the outer ends of the mainand Vsu-pple'n'ie'ntal wbes .and the mouth defining portions of thefront and back members of the container body .are Iin heat sealedrelaiiiOn;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1 and illustrating the main and supplemental tubes while thelling nozzle is inserted therethrough for container lling purposes; and

Figure is a fragmentary horizontal section showing the container afterwithdrawal of the filling nozzle from the composite check valvearrangement and illustrating the manner in which the main andsupplemental tubes collapse so as to provide an effective and efficienthermetic seal for precluding egress from the container body of thematerial with which the con -tainer as a whole is filled.

The container which is shown. in the drawing constitutes the preferredform or embodiment of the invention. t is adapted to be filled withfluid or granular material by Way of a lling nozzle t and comprises arectangular body 1 and a double check valve arrangement 8 within thebody. rIhe container, if lled with air, serves as a pillow or similararticle and, if filled with liquid or granular material, constitutes amerchandising package.

The container body l' consists of coextensive side by side front andback members 9 and I0 and is formed of fluid impervious, heat scalable,flexible plastic nlm, such, for example, as Pliofilm, cellophane,Koroseal or polyethylene. If desired, the body may be formed bycentrally folding a single sheet of plastic film material so as to formthe front and back members 9 and I0 with an integral connection betweencertain side margins thereof. The other side margins of the front andback members B and I are connected together by a heat seal I I whichextends throughout their length. The bottom margins of the front andback members are connected together by a heat seal I2 throughout theirlength and the top margins of the front and back members are connectedtogether by a heat seal I3 which is continuous except at one point orlocation in order to form a mouthIlI for the container Whereas the mouthIll is shown in the drawing as being disposed adjacent the upper end ofthe heat seal I I it is to be understood that the mouth may be disposedat any other point or location. Preferably the plastic filmof which thefront and back members of the body are formed is comparatively thin tothe end that the body is flexible and hence capable of being readilylled. The thickness of the plastic nlm is, of course, determined by theuse to which the container is put.

The double check valve arrangement 8 is disposed wholly within theinterior of the container body "I and consists of a main tube I5 and asupplemental tube I5 within the main tube. It permits the container bodyto be filled by way of the filling nozzle E. Upon removal of the nozzleas hereinafter described it forms a seal whereby egress of the materialin the container body is precluded. The main tube I5 is preferablyformed of the same type fluid impervious, heat scalable, flexibleplastic nlm as the container body. It is open ended and consists ofcoextensive side by side front and back members II and I8. Preferablythe latter are formed separately from one another and have the sidemargins thereof connected together throughout their entire length byheat seals I9. As shown in Figures l and 2, the main tube of the doublecheck valve arrangement 8 extends vertically and is located a smalldistance inwards of the heat seal I I between certain side margins ofthe front and back members 9 and I0 of the container body 1. The upperend of the main tube I5 is connected by a heat seal 20 to the marginalportions of the front and back members 9 and I0 that define the mouthI4. The lower end of the main tube I5 preferably terminates a smalldistance above the heat seal I9 between the bottom margins of the frontand back members 9 and Ill of the container body. It is contemplatedthat in connection with a container filling operation the filling nozzle5 will be inserted lengthwise through the main tube I5 as shown inFigure 1. After the nozzle is inserted completely through the main tubethe material with which the container is to be lled is forced underpressure through the nozzle until it fills the interior of the containerbody to the proper or desired extent. After a container fillingoperation the lling nozzle is removed by sliding it out of the main tubeI5. As soon as the main filling nozzle is slid out of the main tube thepressure of the material in the interior of the container body collapsesthe tube so that it precludes egress of the material until such time asthe body l is either ruptured or opened by reinsertion of the nozzlethrough the main tube. 1t is contemplated that the plastic hlm of whichthe main tube front and back members I'I and I8 are formed will becomparatively thin so that the main tube is extremely flexible and hencereadily collapsible by the material in the container body. Thesupplemental tube I6 of the double check valve arrangement l5 isdisposed within the upper portion of the main tube I5. it is preferablyformed of the same type of fluid impervious, heat sealable, flexibleplastic film as the main tube and consists of coextensive side by sidefront and back members 2l and 22. The side margins of the front and backmembers 2I and 22 are connected together throughout their entire lengthby heat seals 23 and are interposed between, and are in heat sealedrelation with, the upper portions of the side margins of the front andback members I'I and IR of the main tube I5. The ends of thesupplemental tube I6 are open. The upper end of the supplemental tube iscoterminous with the upper end of the main tube I5 and is connected tothe upper end of the main tube by a heat seal 2li. The lower end of thesupplemental tube I6 terminates at an appreciable distance above thelower end of the main tube I5. It is contemplated that the inner orsupplemental tube I6 will be formed of comparatively thin plastic filmin order that it is highly exible and readily collapsible. The edge ofthe lower end of the supplemental tube is straight and, due to thethinness of the nlm of which the supplemental tube is formed, iscomparatively sharp and forms a scraper whereby, when the filling nozzleis withdrawn after a container filling operation, any portion of thematerial which tends to stick or adhere to the discharge end of thenozzle is scraped away so that it cannot enter the supplemental tube andprevent full collapse of the latter.

When it is desired to fill the container the filling nozzle 5 isinserted through the main and supplemental tubes I5 and I6 until thelower discharge end thereof projects beyond the lower end of the maintube. Thereafter the material with which the container is to be filledis flowed under pressure through the nozzle until it fills the interiorof the container` body to the desired extent. After filling of thecontainer the nozzle is withdrawn. Upon withdrawal of the nozzle thematerial within the container body, due to its Weight or pressure,collapses the two tubes to the end that they form a double check valvewhereby the interior of the body of the container is hermeticallysealed. In connection with withdrawal of the nozzle any of the materialthat tends to stick to the discharge end of the nozzle is scraped by thebottom edges of the front and back members 2| and 22 of the supplementaltube. By way of the scraping action of the lower end of the supplementaltube there is no tendency for any of the material to lodge within thesupplemental tube and preclude the latter from fully collapsing and thusefectively preventing egress of material from the interior of thecontainer body. When it is desired to empty the container the body 'lmay be ruptured or torn, or, if the material with which the container isfilled is fiuid, the material may be removed by reinserting the nozzle 6through the two tubes constituting the double check valve arrangement soas to vent to atmosphere the in- A terior of the container body.

The herein described container effectively and efiiciently fulfills itsintended purpose and this is directly attributable to the fact that thecheck valve arrangement consists of the main and supplemental tubes I5and I6. It is capable of being produced at a comparatively low cost andis durable. By reason of the fact that the check valve arrangement 8includes the supplemental tube I6 the arrangement as a whole is soreenforced that although highly flexible for ease of collapsing it isnot likely to be punctured with insertion of the filling nozzle throughit.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a container adapted to be filledwith fluid or granular material by way of a filling nozzle, andcomprising a hollow body formed of flexible, fluid impervious,.film typematerial and closed throughout except for a small sized mouth in oneportion thereof, and a check valve arrangement consisting of an openended main tube formed of fiexible, fiuid impervious, heat sealable,plastic film, disposed within the body, embodying coextensive side byside front and back members with heat sealed side margins, and havingone end thereof connected to the mouth defining portion of the body, andin addition an open ended supplemental tube formed of thin, flexible,fiuid impervious, heat sealable, plastic nlm, disposed within the maintube, embodying coextensive side by side front and back members with theside margins thereof heat sealed together, and having one end thereofheat sealed to said one end of the main tube, said check valvearrangement being adapted to have the filling nozzle extend lengthwisethrough its two tubes in connection with lling of the container with thefilling material and being further adapted upon removal of the nozzle tohave said two tubes collapse by the pressure of the filling material inthe body interior and form a double check valve for preventing egress ofthe filling material from the body interior, the other end of thesupplemental Itube terminating inwards of the other end of the main tubeand having a straight edge which, due to the thinness of the film ofwhich the supplemental tube is formed, is comparatively sharp and formsa scraper whereby in connection with removal of the filling nozzle fromthe check valve arrangement removal is effected of any filling materialthat tends to stick or adhere to the discharge end of the nozzle.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a container adapted to be filledwith fiuid or granular material by way of a filling nozzle, andcomprising a hollow body formed of flexible, fluid impervious, heatsealable, plastic film and embodying a pair of coextensive side by sidefront and back members with the margins thereof connected togetherexcept at one location in order to form a small sized mouth, and a checkvalve arrangement consisting of an open ended main tube formed. of thin,flexible, fluid impervious, heat sealable, plastic film, disposed whollywithin the body, embodying coextensive side by side front and backmembers with heat sealed side margins, and having one end thereof hea-tsealed to the mouth defining portions of the front and back members ofthe body, and in addition, an open ended supplemental tube formed ofthin, fiexible, fiuid impervious, heat sealable, plastic film, disposedwithin the main tube, embodying coextensive side by side front and backmembers with the side margins thereof heat sealed together and also heatsealed to portions of the side margins of the front and back members ofthe main tube, and having one end thereof connected to, and in heatsealed relation with, said one end of the main tube, said check valvearrangement being adapted to have the filling nozzle extend lengthwisethrough its two tubes in connection with filling of the container withthe filling material and being further adapted upon removal of thenozzle to have said two tubes collapse by the pressure of the fillingmaterial in the body interior and form a double check valve forpreventing egress of the filling material from the body interior, theother end of the supplemental tube terminating an appreciable distanceinwards of the other end of the main tube and having a straight edgewhich, due to the thinness of the film of which the supplemental tube isformed, is comparatively sharp and forms a scraper whereby in connectionwith removal of the filling nozzle from the check valve arrangementremoval is effected of any filling material that tends to stick oradhere to the discharge end of the nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 565,328 Buhler Aug. 4, 1896 1,689,453 Randolph Oct. 30, 19281,809,259 Williams Jan. 9, 1931 1,992,152 Yeates Feb. 19, 1935

